When the Youngest Goes to War
by Evia Wingjade
Summary: A Golden Age fic. What happens between the Pevensie's when Lucy decides she is old enough to go to the front lines of the Narnian battle-field? She wants to save lives, but will her siblings let her risk her own? Probably complete, though there might be a sequel. Rated K plus, as Peter remembers some war-time unpleasantness.
1. Chapter 1

When the Youngest Goes to War 1

 _When the Youngest goes to War_

"Don't you dare," Edmund tried to command. The brown eyes that met his held, and he continued, "Please, Lu, say you won't."

The two young monarchs stood in the otherwise empty meeting room where Peter had just held a war- council. All four of Narnia's rulers had been present, along with the General of the Army, and many of its' commanders.

"I can't Ed. You know I can't." She replied. Her voice wavered; she disliked upsetting her brother. When his voice began to take on _that_ tone, when he was almost begging, it twisted her heart.

"Lucy, it's too dangerous," he said, quiet with fear.

"Ed, you know as well as I, that is exactly why I must go. I will be needed."

Edmund sighed in defeat, turning away from her fierce gaze, rubbing the back of his neck. There was no point arguing with her; they both knew she was right. He glared at the wall.  
"I do know. I do not have to like it."

Lucy touched his shoulder and he turned back to her, his face tight with worry. When their eyes locked, Edmund grabbed the young queen and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Oh Ed," Lucy said, wrapping her arms around his middle.

"Will you at least stay with me? On the battlefield, I mean. Stay close, so I can protect you?" Edmund asked, desperate for a way to keep her safe.

"Alright, Ed," She whispered. "When we talk to Peter we'll ask; I'm sure he'll say yes. And, if he does, I'll be right next to you."

"Thank you," his breathless voice came to her ears, "my beloved queen. Thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

When the Youngest Goes to War ch 2

"You aren't seriously going to let her go?" Susan demanded, shocked, staring at her elder brother.

"I don't see how it can be helped." Peter replied quietly, trying to avoid the inevitable argument. He looked at the floor of the splendid throne room in Cair Paravel; it was currently empty, but for himself and the eldest of his sisters.

"Peter, she is a child!" She exclaimed. "How can you let her anywhere near a battle? Especially if it is going to be as bad as you think it will?" That made him look at her.

"I don't like it either, but we need her Susan. I would never have asked it of her, but _she_ came to _me_."

"And you couldn't tell her no, not even for her own good, is that it?" Susan questioned scathingly, pacing angrily across the dais.

"She brought Edmund with her." Peter responded, voice flat and expressionless, bringing Susan's pacing to a halt.

"How did she manage that? He's usually even more protective of Lucy than you are."

"He knew she was right." Peter replied. "And she promised Ed she would stay close to him during the battle."

"Did she?" Susan asked, surprised; perhaps Lucy was beginning to understand the dangers of battle.

"She's no fool, Susan. Lucy knows what the risks are. She also knows what we risk if she _doesn't_ go."

Susan walked off the dais to one of the many windows, gazing out at the sea. Peter stood from his throne and went to his queen, resting his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him over her shoulder.

"Lucy knows you will be angry with her for his. She would feel better for your blessing."

Susan exhaled a quiet sigh, placing one of her own hands over her brother's and gazing out the window once more. "How can I Peter? I don't want this to happen."

"Do you understand why?"

"Of course. I even know that you're right—Lucy will very likely be needed. But I hate it."

"So do I. So does Edmund. Lucy doesn't particularly like it either, Su. You don't have to like it. Your approval of her reasons, if not the fact that she'll be putting her life in danger, will give her what she needs most right now; assurance that we will all still love her when she returns."

Susan, who had watched Peter's face while he spoke, turned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you, Peter. I know you hate this as much as I do. You've always tried so hard to keep Lucy and me away from the nastier things; to protect us. It's just that she is still so young."

"She will always seem too young to us, Su, if only because she is the youngest. But she is years older than Edmund was at Berunda."

"I know she is. It still seems wrong." She replied, voice heavy.

"I know it does."


	3. Chapter 3

When the Youngest Goes to War 3

"Lucy?"

"I'm in here," Lucy called from her dressing room. She was trying to figure out women's battle gear. She wished she could have men's gear—she'd helped Edmund enough that she knew how it went. When her older sister entered, Lucy smiled helplessly. She had no idea how to put on the chain-mail skirt.

"Oh Lu," Susan said, amusement tingeing her voice. "Here, let me help," she offered, stepping farther into the room.

"Thanks," Lucy replied, "I can't figure it. Edmund's armor is less confusing."

"But you haven't learned to move in men's armor." Susan replied.

"I know. That's why I'm bothering to try to figure this out. The armory master was distressed enough by handing out armor to his youngest queen," Lucy said, sounding worn. "I couldn't bring myself to argue with him when he said I'd be better off with women's armor, since I've been practicing in dresses."

"I have to say, I must agree with him." Susan said with a smile.

"I know you're right." Lucy responded.

"Ah, here we are." Susan said as she found the mechanism on the chain-mail skirt. "See, there are buckles on the sides of the waist."

"Oh, I see. Thanks, Susan." Lucy looked up the few inches to her sister's face, where she was bent to work the clasp of her younger sister's armor. "Does this mean you're not mad at me?" Lucy asked hesitantly. Susan paused for a moment, before she stepped to Lucy's other side, doing up the clasp there as well.

"I'm not happy about it, but I'm not angry with you, Lucy." When Susan stood up, Lucy threw herself into her older sister's arms. "Oh Lu," Susan said fondly. A few moments later she asked quietly, "Are you very scared?"

After a short pause Lucy answered. "Yes," she said, "but it's too important to let that stop me. I know I can help, if I'm there. I have to help, Susan. You do see that, don't you?" She asked anxiously, gazing imploringly up into her older sister's face.

"Yes Lu, I see." Susan answered her voice cracking. Lucy laid her head on Susan's chest, and Susan put her cheek on top of Lucy's head. The sisters stood there for a long while, contemplating their own thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

When the Youngest Goes to War 4

The High King of Narnia sat on his throne. The windows were dark, but he had not called for light. He sat alone, thinking of the battle he knew was only days away. The first battle his youngest sibling, his baby sister, would fight in. Of course, her first reason for being among the army was to heal soldiers as they fell, but Peter was no fool. He knew Lucy would have blood on her hands by the end of that day. He did not want his sisters to have that weight on their shoulders. He had learned to weigh each life he took against the Narnian lives he saved; Edmund did the same, he thought. Susan would never be able to, and Lucy…Queen Lucy the Valiant, Aslan called had her. _He_ had known this day would come. Peter had supposed it would, but he wanted to put it off as long as possible. Lucy's innocence was so precious to him. He hoped her faith would live through her first battle. But of course it would; Lucy had seen the aftermath of battle many times. It was not the horrors of blood that he wanted to protect her from, but the horror of taking life. He did not want her to wake from the dreams he had after Berunda; the feel of a sword sinking into the body of another living creature; the sound of their dying grunts and the warm spray of blood that splashed up, across his face and coated his armor, the smells that haunted his sleep for weeks later. Granted, it was mostly Edmund's blood that turned his dreams to nightmares…

"Peter?" As though called by his thoughts, Peter saw Edmund standing in the doorway near the dais where the four thrones sat. Peter looked at him, unable to form words for what he was feeling. "Are you angry with me?"

Peter's smile was grim, but it was a smile. "No Ed, I'm not angry. I am far from content, but that is not your fault."

Edmund took a few steps farther into the room, coming to sit on the edge of the dais, near his brother. "You know I'll take care of her, right?"

"Of course you will, Ed."

"Alright." Edmund answered quietly.

"What is it, Ed?"

"Maybe you should take charge of her." Edmund spat out abruptly, looking as though the words choked him as he spoke.

"Why?" Peter inquired.

"What if I get her killed, Peter? What if I'm not good enough? You're one of the best swordsmen I know. You'll be able to protect her."

"You would put your queen in my protection." Peter stated, as though he was confirming a perfectly normal statement. Ed just looked at him, eyes hollow. "No Ed. You would hate yourself forever. And anyway, I doubt Lucy would allow it. For one thing, she already gave you her word of where she would be during the battle. And secondly, there are two ways she might take that; one is that she would know you didn't have faith in yourself, and so would stay with you to prove you were good enough. The other is that she would think she was a liability." Edmund's eyes widened. "I guess that didn't occur to you?"

"No," he replied. "But Peter, I can't let anything happen to her."

"You won't." Peter replied with confidence, rising to his feet and moving to sit next to his brother on the floor. "You love her too much, just as I do; just as we should. And if you must take a blow meant for her, you will. And she will be there to heal you, because she loves you just as well."

Edmund looked into the eyes of his brother and king. "Thanks, Peter."

He just nodded in response, and they sat in silence a while. 


	5. Chapter 5

When the Youngest Goes to War 5

The next morning's breakfast was subdued. Peter asked them all to be present for the War Council two hours later. After they rose from the table, Edmund thought he would search out solitude, to think of battle strategy to present to his king and their Army's leaders. He found, however, that he could not concentrate. Pinpointing the source of his distraction, Edmund went in search of his elder sister.

He found her in the stable, grooming her favorite mare. It was a dumb-beast, of course. No one in Narnia would try to stable a _Talking_ Horse.

"Su," Edmund called from several yards away, so as not to startle her.

"Hello Ed," she greeted, glancing at him, though she did not pause her work on the horse. Edmund moved closer, leaning against the door of the next stall, which was empty. He stood in silence while Susan finished caring for her mount. Edmund helped her put away the brushes and combs she had used.  
"It's alright Ed." Susan said, and he finally met her eyes. "I understand. I don't like it, but I do understand. You support Lucy just as you do Peter and I. It's only fair."

"What will you do, alone here?" Edmund asked quietly. It had come to him well after he spoke to Peter that with the three of them gone to battle, Susan would be alone and frightened.

"I expect I will do what I have always done," She replied calmly. "I will see to our people, those who are not fighting. I will see to the care of the wounded who can be moved this far."

"I should have asked Lucy if she'd spoken to you, when she came to me." He apologized, eyes fixed on the floor. Edmund could not honestly say he was sorry for supporting Lucy, but he was heart-sore to have hurt his elder sister in the doing of it.

"No you shouldn't." She countered gently. His head jerked up in surprise. In searching her eyes he found understanding. "She came to you because you are, of all of us, clear minded even when you wish you were not. I would have been angry, and forbidden her to go. I would have forced her to defy me, only to realize later that she was right. You were both right. "

"Thanks, Su," he responded quietly. They walked back to the castle in companionable silence, parting ways with a kiss on the cheek, knowing they would see each other again all too soon, to discuss the coming battles.


	6. Chapter 6

When the Youngest Goes to War 6

Late that night, after a day spent in war council and an almost silent dinner, Peter knocked on his youngest sister's room. When there was no answer, he called through the door.

"Lu, it's me. Open up?" he requested. The door swung inward almost instantly, framing his baby sister for only a moment before she launched herself into his arms. "Oh Lu," he murmured into her hair as he bent to wrap his arms around her. Her hold only tightened when she reached up to his neck, having relinquished his middle when he bent over. Peter lifted her and carried her into the room, easily cradling her smaller much frame. Once Peter nudged the door closed with a foot, he sat on Lucy's bed, holding her close.

"Were you scared?" Lucy whispered into Peter's shirt. "When you realized you were going to be in a battle, were you scared?"

"Yes Lucy," he replied quietly, "I was scared. But do you know why I fought anyway?" Lucy looked up at him, waiting. "It was because of you and Su and Ed. I knew I had to protect you, so it was worth it. I found the strength to fight through the fear because I knew it was the only way to protect my family."

"And now all of Narnia is our family," Lucy said resting her head under her eldest brother's chin. "I know it is right, this battle, but I'm scared."

"You'd be a fool if you weren't scared." He replied, and he felt her nod her understanding. "You'll be alright, Lu." He said.

"What if I can't fight?" She asked. "What if I mess up and get Ed hurt, or even killed?" She asked, and Peter knew that it was this fear, and not fears for her own life, that led her to be curled up in his arms.

"You may mess up. Everyone does, Lu. But Ed will take care of you. And if he gets hurt, you'll be there to take care of him. That's why Ed and I fight back to back when the odds are precarious on the battlefield. We know the other loves us enough to take care of it when we mess up."

"Thank you Peter," Lucy said, looking into his eyes, and Peter saw trust in their chocolate depths.

"Of course Lu…what are big brothers for, anyway?" He replied, jostling her gently, startling a chuckle from her.


End file.
